It was third time lucky for Mackay trainer John Manzelmann in claiming the $200,000 Battle of the Bush at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Mr Manzelmann has twice been runner-up in the Battle Of The Bush final during the Brisbane winter carnival and liked his chances of finally claiming the title with the former Hong Kong galloper Tiger Legend ridden by Ashley Butler.
Tiger Legend who led from start to finish beat home the Corey and Kylie Geran-trained favourite Jack Be Lucky ($3.90), Dale Groves-trained gelding Moscini ($19) in third, and the Craig Smith trained Art by Concorde ($8.50) fourth.
"I really expected him to run well today. I can't believe the price he got. I honestly thought he'd be much shorter and I don't know why he was those sorts of odds," Mr Manzelmann said.
Mr Manzelmann has had the Battle Of The Bush as his main target from the time he bought Tiger Legend in an online auction for $35,000 about 10 months ago.
"He's been all over the world to Hong Kong and back," Mr Manzelmann said in a post race interview.
Tiger Legend qualified to start in the Battle of the Bush after winning the 1200m Mt Garnet Open Plate in July.
He had also produced wins at Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Mackay, and Townsville.
The five-year-old brown gelding was by Better Than Ready and out of Fillydelphia and owned outright by Mr Manzelmann.
He formerly raced as Tiger Heart and won the 2022 G3 Vo Rogue at Doomben for Brisbane trainer Tony Golan.
It's been a big few months for heavy weight jockey Ashley Butler who was astride Tiger Legend.
Mr Butler took out the Archer at Rcokhampton for the second year in a row in April this year.
"When Tiger Legend got 62kg and John offered me the ride, I was happy to take it," he said.
"Obviously being heavy, there wasn't a lot of sweating involved, but there wasn't a lot of eating involved either."
The race was called by Longreach Jockey Club president and resident race caller Andrew Watts.
Mr Watts said it was an absolute thrill and experience to be invited to call the race.
"I had called most of the horses on Bush tracks before so I was familiar with their colours, " Mr Watts said.
"My nerves got me for the first 600 metres, then I relaxed.
"It was certainly a bit different in the broadcast box as it was so much higher and the grass was green, instead of a dirt track."
Mr Watts said full credit to Mr Manzelmann.
"His win is just rewards for all he gives to country racing," he said.
Renee Moore, representing Cloncurry Race Club, won the Battle of the Bush fashions.
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
